1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to embroidery needles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Embroidery is the age old art of forming a decoration on an already existant material with needle and thread. Form and shading are expressed by means of stitches and it is essential in embroidery that the stitches must be readily visible. Stitches are never concealed nor disguised. The simplest form of embroidery needles comprise a solid shank with an eye on the end which needle is manipulated by grasping its between the fingers and inserting the needle through the material. For loop work, a hollow needle is used having a tapered end and the eye is located at the tapered end. Various forms of needle construction are known in the prior art and reference may be made to the following U.S. patents which are illustrative of known forms of embroidery needles:
______________________________________ 1,371,976 1,409,903 2,319,942 3,954,072 1,374,409 1,428,397 2,581,894 3,922,982 1,392,542 1,750,226 2,586,505 3,986,468 1,407,609 1,881,247 2,865,543 4,015,551 ______________________________________
The latter patents are, of course, only illustrative of various forms of embroidery needle constructions. Other forms are illustrated in patents classified in Class 112, subclass 78 and 222 and other related areas.
Embroidery is an ancient art. The Chinese claim to have practiced embroidery as far back 300 years B.C. Ancient embroidery customs and traditions are proudly preserved in many countries throughout the world. One of the more famous embroidery handicrafts best known and appreciated is that known as Russian and Rumanian embroidery.
The garments of men, women and children which still practice the "old tradition" are richly embroidered, for the most part, in subdued harmonious blendings of red, yellow and black and gold. Russian embroidery, exquisite in design and workmanship, has been unchanged for centuries, but such embroidery requires painstaking attention to detail to achieve perfect control of stitches. When such artistry is practiced by hand, even the simplest patterns require large amounts of time to complete.